Boat Dealers in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Dealers in Fort Lauderdale carry Avalon, Azimut, BOTE, Bayliner, Beneteau, Bennington, Boston Whaler and Catalina Yachts, both new and pre-owned depending on the dealer.

Late October through April is generally the best window for boating Fort Lauderdale’s New River, Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic approaches, although local boating runs year-round. Visit Lauderdale says boating is favored throughout the year and that boating events ramp up in fall and winter.

NOAA’s nearby Fowey Rock coastal averages put water in the mid-70s in winter, around 80 by late spring and the mid-80s in summer. From May 15 to October 15, South Florida’s wet season supports near-daily showers and thunderstorms, with sea-breeze interactions shaping where they form, so summer plans depend more on the day’s marine forecast.

Source: Visit Lauderdale (visitlauderdale.com)

From Fort Lauderdale, you can cruise the New River and Intracoastal Waterway, turn into Middle River or Lake Sylvia, or reach Atlantic waters through Port Everglades. The New River is a no-wake city route; Tarpon Bend is narrow, current-prone and busy. The Intracoastal continues through the no-wake Stranahan River. Middle River splits into North and South forks and has a no-wake section upstream. Lake Sylvia is a side basin reached through Mercedes River. Port Everglades has large commercial traffic near its ocean entrance. City launch options include Cooley’s Landing and George English Park.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

From Fort Lauderdale, boaters commonly head to the New River and Riverwalk, Whiskey Creek, North Lake in Hollywood and the waters off Hillsboro Beach. The New River offers a downtown cruise past high-rises, Riverwalk and Las Olas Boulevard, with city docking nearby. At Whiskey Creek in Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, boats can beach on the sandy bottom for a picnic, beach visit or meal. North Lake draws boaters for anchoring, swimming, paddleboarding and dockside dining. Off Hillsboro Beach, boaters anchor for clear water and views of Hillsboro Lighthouse.

Source: Visit Lauderdale (visitlauderdale.com)

Florida does not issue a boating license, but operators born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry photo ID and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boating education card when running a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. This includes personal watercraft. There is no general minimum age for boats; personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, and no one under 18 may rent any vessel other than a human powered one. Exemptions include Coast Guard licensed masters, private lake or pond operators, operators accompanied aboard by someone 18 or older who holds the card or is exempt and is responsible for the vessel, and nonresidents with proof of a NASBLA-approved out of state course. Any non exempt operator may instead pass an FWC approved temporary certificate exam and carry that certificate with photo ID for 90 days.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules require boaters to carry life jackets, stay sober, use properly registered vessels, follow personal watercraft limits, and obey posted no wake and manatee zones. Every vessel must carry an accessible U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear one while underway on vessels under 26 feet. Operating while impaired is illegal; a .08 blood or breath alcohol level creates a presumption of impairment. Most vessels must be registered and carry the certificate aboard. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 14, wear a noninflatable PFD, and not operate from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Florida law requires you to be at least 18 to rent a livery vessel other than a human-powered vessel. Florida sets no general minimum age to operate a boat, but a personal watercraft operator must be at least 14.

Under section 327.395, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, operating a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must carry the required boating safety credentials. An exemption applies when accompanied by a credentialed or exempt person age 18 or older who is attendant to the operation and responsible for safe operation and violations. The rental operator sets its own booking minimum subject to state law, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com)

Alongside the boat dealers on this page, Fort Lauderdale has 99 boat rentals, 19 boat clubs and 41 marinas.